winding

1 of 2

noun

wind·​ing ˈwīn-diŋ 

1

: material (such as wire) wound or coiled about an object (such as an armature)

also : a single turn of the wound material

2

a

: the act of one that winds

b

: the manner of winding something

3

: a curved or sinuous course, line, or progress

winding

2 of 2

adjective

: marked by winding: such as

a

: having a curved or spiral course or form

a winding stairway

b

: having a course that winds

a winding road

Synonyms

Adjective

• bending
• crazy
• crooked
• curled
• curling
• curved
• curving
• curvy
• devious
• serpentine
• sinuous
• tortuous
• twisted
• twisting
• windy

Examples of winding in a Sentence

Adjective

a long and winding path through the woods

a winding staircase leads to the top of the lighthouse

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Up the stark-white winding staircase lined with a perky pink runner from textile designer Christine Van Der Hurd, the second floor features a high-ceilinged living room and a library with floor-to-ceiling windows lined with planters. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 May 2024

Bostonians often joke that the city's many winding, one-way streets were adapted from colonial-era cow paths—routes literally created by livestock—that long predate the automobile. —Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1530, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing winding

• field winding
• self-winding
• stem-winding
• winding-sheet
• winding-up

Kids Definition

winding

1 of 2 noun

wind·​ing ˈwīn-diŋ 

1

: material (as wire) wound or coiled about an object

2

: a single turn of wound material

winding

2 of 2 adjective

: marked by winding: as

a

: having a noticeable curved or spiral form

a winding staircase

b

: having a course that winds

a winding road